[MetroMan]

The Apple store is by far the least interesting thing about this development.

One of the most celebrated architects alive, lauded for his use of beautiful materials and minimalist design in Apple retail around the world, Sir Norman Foster is building one of them in Toronto. Yeah, not exciting at all.

I get it, some of those on this forum who are engineers, math and science and other left brain people don’t understand the right brained fascination with Apple, but this is an architecture forum and many of us appreciate beauty in architecture. When we’re all long dead and maybe Apple itself isn’t around, generations are going to celebrate some of these stores as architectural masterpieces — and heck most of them are engineering marvels as well.

…And we’re getting one of our very own right here in Toronto. Yes, this is exciting as hell.

 

[A Torontonian Now]

One of the most celebrated architects alive, lauded for his use of beautiful materials and minimalist design in Apple retail around the world, Sir Norman Foster is building one of them in Toronto. Yeah, not exciting at all.

I get it, some of those on this forum who are engineers, math and science and other left brain people don’t understand the right brained fascination with Apple, but this is an architecture forum and many of us appreciate beauty in architecture. When we’re all long dead and maybe Apple itself isn’t around, generations are going to celebrate some of these stores as architectural masterpieces — and heck most of them are engineering marvels as well.

…And we’re getting one of our very own right here in Toronto. Yes, this is exciting as hell.

What is this passive-aggressive left-brain right-brain nonsense? Besides being scientifically untrue (see e.g. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/right-brainleft-brain-right-2017082512222), are you suggesting that all creative people are obsessed with Apple and all non-creative folk are not?

I think everyone is excited about the architectural aspects of this tower, including the architectural aspects of the retail space. The fact that Norman Foster (or at least his firm) is the architect, is also undeniably exciting. It is the repeated conjecture based upon other Apple stores rather than this building's design documents that seems jarring in this thread.

When @Blixtein says the Apple store is the least exciting aspect of this building, I don't take that statement to mean that anyone is not interested in the fact that this building has a wide open ground floor with no core, that the retail space leased by Apple will be well detailed, and that the building is designed by Foster, just that it is disinteresting that this is a result of Apple leasing the space. Is Apple's invovlement and influence a fact, sure, but an interesting fact - to me, no.

 

[ChesterCopperpot]

I think people are a little weary of the “over enthusiasm” there is for the retail space. Lots of assumptions are being made about what the space will look like with regards to the interiors. Just because some things happen in some stores do not necessarily mean that it will be happening here. I can be pretty certain we won't see anything as extravagant as is posted up above.

Balconies/ cantilevers / green walls / stone wall finishes / curved stairs / outdoor spaces along Yonge St to name a few.

What we do know looking at the plans for the building.

• Big open sales area on the ground level with sloping columns. Stairway and elevator to concourse level.
• Back of house area for the store (staff areas /repair rooms and given the nature of this store – probably a boardroom) on the concourse level.
• MEP space on the 3rd level of the building.

Everything else is just guesswork.

 

[thaivic]

Peaking through the crowd !

 

[Undead]

I'm "right brain," but I can assure you I'm not interested in Apple in the least lel.

 

[Contra]

There is nothing in the plans, nor anything that's been constructed so far, nor any scaffold currently erected within the Apple store space that indicates that any mezzanine (or balcony if you prefer) is going to be built in there.

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There's also no store plans/floor plans period so I think some speculation is fair. Unless you work for Apple/Core Architects or F+P the layout of the "Apple Store" is still a mystery.

 

[zang]

One of the most celebrated architects alive, lauded for his use of beautiful materials and minimalist design in Apple retail around the world, Sir Norman Foster is building one of them in Toronto. Yeah, not exciting at all.

I get it, some of those on this forum who are engineers, math and science and other left brain people don’t understand the right brained fascination with Apple, but this is an architecture forum and many of us appreciate beauty in architecture. When we’re all long dead and maybe Apple itself isn’t around, generations are going to celebrate some of these stores as architectural masterpieces — and heck most of them are engineering marvels as well.

…And we’re getting one of our very own right here in Toronto. Yes, this is exciting as hell.

I've been an Apple user since literally 1981. My family owned an Apple II+, Mac 512 and Mac LC. When I was an adult myself, I bought PowerMac 7500, PowerMac G5, 2009 iMac, 2017 iMac and MacBook, four different iPhones, two AppleTVs, four different iPods. I defended Apple products when so many were calling them "fisher price computers" only good for graphics work. I have a framed 3.5" floppy of PhotoShop 1.0. I've been called a fanboy I don't know how many times. I've also been a visual artist all of my life. I used a friggin' KoalaPad as a kid on the II+ and really cut my teeth on MacPaint (and later Photoshop) on the Mac. I have worked in graphic design, exclusively on a Mac, since 1994. I have a great appreciation for Apple and its products and make time to watch keynotes live. I know many other people— both left- and right-brained—who do the same.

Speaking as all of the above, just stop with the wild Apple Store speculation despite every bit of evidence that says otherwise. This is far from your first. Let it be your last.

 

[condovo]

The *endless speculation about the* Apple store *taking up big chunks of this thread* is by far the least interesting thing about this development.

Yeah, agreed.

 

[UtakataNoAnnex]

I get it, some of those on this forum who are engineers, math and science and other left brain people don’t understand the right brained fascination with Apple, but this is an architecture forum and many of us appreciate beauty in architecture.

I wasn't aware that as artist/illustrator I was a "left brain" thinker though. Yet my disdain for Apple is not only for its obnoxiously overpriced products that are far and above my budget range, I also utterly fail to see how they are any better than the reasonably affordable PC based hardware I use now to create my stuff on. So forgive if I'll declare this claim as full on poppycock.

That said, and back more on topic, if Mr. Mizrahi wants to lease this seemingly airplane hanger sized prime space to Apple, the more the power to him. It looks like the right fit, so I suspect it will work out for all parties involved. However, I think it would better serve the masses more if this space was leased by Android or Canada Computers, IMO.

 

[KhalilHeron]

I wasn't aware that as artist/illustrator I was a "left brain" thinker though. Yet my disdain for Apple is not only for its obnoxiously overpriced products that are far and above my budget range, I also utterly fail to see how they are any better than the reasonably affordable PC based hardware I use now to create my stuff on. So forgive if I'll declare this claim as full on poppycock.

That said, and back more on topic, if Mr. Mizrahi wants to lease this seemingly airplane hanger sized prime space to Apple, the more the power to him. It looks like the right fit, so I suspect it will work out for all parties involved. However, I think it would better serve the masses more if this space was leased by Android or Canada Computers, IMO.

Part of the reason apple products are so expensive is that they have these big fancy flashy stores that really add to the customer experience. If different android phone manufacturers or canada computers had stores at such prime locations as 1 bloor all over youd bet they would also be a lot more expensive. The biggest android phone companies also happen to price their products similarly to apple now, and in toronto at least samsung is the only other company that can come close to providing the experience that apple does.

 

[condovo]

The One is positioned as upscale. Apple is positioned as upscale. Hence, the match. Android and Canada Computers aren't upscale.

By the same token, it would be great to bring this thread back on topic, which isn't about Apple or Android but, rather, about the building itself, hopefully minus the endless speculation going forward about the Apple Store.

 

[evandyk]

The One is positioned as upscale. Apple is positioned as upscale. Hence, the match. Android and Canada Computers aren't upscale.

By the same token, it would be great to bring this thread back on topic, which isn't about Apple or Android but, rather, about the building itself, hopefully minus the endless speculation going forward about the Apple Store.

But can you imagine how much clutter Canada Computers could fit in a massive open space like this? It would be a work of art in its own way!

 

[interchange42]

If anyone writes another pro or anti-Apple rant here, the post will be deleted and their account will be put on holiday for an amount to time to be determined later. Any apology post counts in that regard too. The only Apple posts here should be about store construction here, that is it.

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[thaivic]

 

[BittahAmbassador]

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I see only top SSW pillar connected by a beam to the inner structure. I kinda expected it would go faster, the way current top 8 were sat in just few days. Two was it?